Before the mainframe, there was Think-a-Tron.
Hasbro introduced this “machine that thinks like a man” in 1960, some four years before IBM debuted the System/360. Think-a-Tron certainly captures the popular conception of Space Age mainframes, as represented by contemporary television programs like Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Lost in Space, and Time Tunnel.
In truth, it’s not a computer at all. Think-a-Tron is a children’s quiz game.
Players read multiple-choice questions off cards and guess the answers. Then they insert the question-cards into a tray and turn a crank. Mechanical gears match up with a notch on each card to reveal the correct answer’s letter, which is displayed in lights.
Here’s a great description of the toy’s clever internal workings.
Each Think-a-Tron came with 300 questions. Additional questions could be purchased in packs of 50. Think-a-Tron was a premium toy, retailing for around US$10 during the 1960s; that’s north of US$100 in 2024 dollars. Today you can find a vintage Think-a-Tron online for as little as US$30. You’ll also need two D batteries (not included).
This rig isn’t going to get you to the moon – but perhaps it inspired some of the children who grew up to build the mainframe infrastructure that powers our modern world.
So, have you ever used a Think-a-Tron?